Steel News in Iran

Bafq-Mashhad Railroad Project to Be Operational This Year
2004 April 12

The General Director of Islamic Republic of Iran Railroad Company said that the most important railroad link of the country will be operational in the current Iranian year 1383 (March 20, 2004-March 19, 2005).
Mohammad Sa’idnejad said that the implementation of this project is very crucial since Mashhad-Bafq railroad link shortens the distance between the Asia Minor countries and the Persian Gulf by 1,000 kilometers.
According the public relations office of Iran’s Railroad Company, on Tuesday summit of the General director of Islamic Republic of Iran Railroads with Gennadi
Fadeyev, the head of Russia Railway Company,the two sides discussed the possible ways to expand the cooperation of the railroad sectors of both countries.
Conferring with Mohammad Fadeyev, Sa’idnejad said that after the collapse of former Soviet Union, and the emergence of the independent countries of the Asia Minor and Caucasus regions, Iran’s role in regional railroad transportation would get much more significant than what it was before.
He stressed that in recent years, Sarakhs-Tajan railroad link as well as Amirabad harbor in the Caspian Sea were opened, adding that Amirabad harbor is currently linked to the railroad network of the country, which has facilitated the transit of commodities from this harbor. Pointing to the Bafq-Mashhad railroad link, he said that quick inauguration of this link has been emphasized by international conventions.
He added that the establishment and completion of Kerman-Zahedan, and Qazvin-Rasht-Astara rail links as well as the linkage of Iran railroad network with the rail network of Syria and Iraq are among the major plans of Iran Railroad Company.
Meanwhile, during Fadeyev’s trip to Iran, the country is slated to scrutinize a long-term cooperation with Russia in the field of establishing railroad network.

Raw Steel Production to Hit 11.4m Tons This Year
2004 April 11

Steel production capacity of the country was 10.5 million tons in the past Iranian calendar year 1382 (March 20, 2003-March 19, 2004), and the country outscored this figure by producing 10.9 million tons of steel products last year.
Meanwhile, the steel production capacity is projected to inch up from 10.5 to 11.4 million tons in the current Iranian calendar year 1383 (March 20, 2004- March 10, 2005).
In an interview, the head of Mines and Industries Development Organization while expressing hope that Iran steel production capacity edges up from 10.5 to 11.4 said that the policy concerning steel production is to optimize this industry.
Pointing to the extraction of ironstone, Mostafa Moazenzadeh said the volume of iron ore production is projected to increases from 14.8 million tons to 18 million tons.
He stressed that Iran is one of the unprecedented steel producers of the world, which has experienced a drastic rise in steel production due to the fact that Iran has access to rich energy resources and cheap minerals.
Steel production capacity of Iran has increased from 6.5 million tons to some 11 million tons in the Iranian year 1382, he said.
Moazenzadeh enumerated the factors which have contributed to the development of Iran’s steel industry, adding that high investment, fundamental measures taken by the country to underpin steel industry as well as employment of specialized human resources in this industry helped boost steel production during the recent years.

Iran, Russia to broaden cooperation in railways sector
2004 April 5

According to Iran's State News Agency (IRNA) the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia are to further broaden cooperation in the railways sector, it was announced.
The agreement to the effect is to be signed during the upcoming visit of the Head of the Russian Railways Company Gennadi Fadeyev following talks with his Iranian counterpart.
According to the Public Relations Department of Iran's Railways Company, the visit of the Russian delegation will take place at the official invitation of the head of Iranian railways.
The Head of Russian Railways Company Gennadi Fadeyev heading a high ranking delegation will arrive in Tehran on Tuesday. During its two-day stay in Tehran, the Russian delegation will confer with Iranian officials on issues of mutual interests in railways sector.
The two sides will also exchange views on the feasibility of joint investments in developing railway lines and reinforcement of the North-South Corridor, transfer of technological know-how, joint production of wagons and machinery.
Formation of a joint experts group, proposal of new projects for cooperation between the two countries will also be on the agenda of the talks between officials of the two countries.

On February 1st 2004 the first heat was successfully cast on the #2 Conticaster at NISCO
KSC-Khouzestan Steel Co steel plant in Awaz.
The heat was performed with section 130X130 mm, casting peritectic steel grade with good results.
Machine outfit sections are 100, 130 and 150-mm billets in low-carbon and low-alloy steel for merchant shapes and wire rod.
Ladle size is 150 ton.
The caster is equipped Level 1 and 2 automation system for full control of all machine functions.
Start-up of Conticaster # 2 was part of a wider KSC steel plant upgrading project carried out by
Danieli, which also included another 6-strand Conticaster (CCM # 1 started up in 2001), major upgrading and modernization of two 150-ton
EAFs, new Ladle Furnace and plant auxiliaries including a new Water Treatment Plant.

Iran to build 17 oil storage tanks
2004 February 9

Some 17 strategic steel and concrete tanks for storage of 10 million barrels of crude oil are under construction in Iran at an estimated cost of rls 700 billion, said director of the strategic crude oil tanks project Houshang
Kamaie.
Kamaie told reporters that operations for construction of seven steel tanks, including two tanks with 250,000 barrels and three tanks with 500,000 barrels storage capacity, are to be built in Ahvaz
(Khuzestan province), while one such tank with 500,000 barrels storage capacity will be in Siri and one another with the same size capacity will be in
Behregan.
He said 10 concrete tanks for oil storage are also to be constructed, including two with 500,000 barrels, and two with one million barrels storage capacity in
Omidieh, and four with 500,000 barrels and two with one million barrels storage capacity in Gur eh.
He added that the projects, which have thus far shown more than 63 percent progress, expected to be operational by 2005, marking end of the third five-year plan (2000-05).

New steel rebar rolling mill project in Insig co.
2004 January 27

Insig is building a new rebar rolling mill to produce more than 500.000 mt of steel rebars per year.
The production is expected to start in second half of this new year.This will increase their total capacity to reach to 1.500.000 mt per year.